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Angry Birds Star Wars 2 figures use QR codes, not NFC

Angry Birds Star Wars 2 takes a page from Skylanders by connecting the game to real-world toys. But how does it work?

Angry Birds Star Wars 2 takes a page from Skylanders by connecting the game to real-world toys. By placing toys on a physical "Telepod," you'll be able to instantly transfer new characters into Rovio's newest slingshot game.

But, very few mobile devices support NFC--the technology that powers the instant data transfer that Skylanders takes advantage of. How will Angry Birds support importing characters? Using a magnifying glass, apparently.

At San Diego Comic-Con, Polygon got hands-on time with the game. The "Telepod" is actually an elaborate magnifying glass that enlarges a QR code hidden at the bottom of the figure. By placing the device over the iPad camera, for example, it will scan and unlock the characters.

Polygon theorizes that players will be able to use home-printed QR codes "so they don't have to buy all 32 Angry Birds Star Wars figures." That's certainly one way of thwarting Rovio's clear plan to take over the world through Angry Birds.